Death's Embrace
by DragonQueen and Her Bear
Summary: A dark discovery leads to startling epiphanies for both Daenerys and Ser Jorah.


_A/N: Written for the "Ships in a (Fort)night" event at Game of Ships. The prompt was a picture of two embracing skeletons._

* * *

They were setting up camp in Vaes Tolorru when Jorah heard one of the handmaidens scream. Fearing the worst, he rushed to see what had caused the scream, only to be greeted by the sight of Daenerys hugging the crying handmaiden tightly and tenderly telling her everything was ok. Jorah let out a relieved sigh, then felt himself smile at his Khaleesi's kindness. Once the handmaiden had been dismissed, Jorah approached the scene. When Dany looked up and saw him, she smiled sadly.

"Come, Ser Jorah, look what Jhiqui found while setting up camp," she said, her voice full of sorrow.

Jorah looked down into the ground where Dany was pointing, and let out a small, quick breath. Poor Jhiqui had stumbled upon two human skeletons resting beneath the ground. While that alone would be enough to scare any handmaiden, it was how they were posed in the dirt that was especially upsetting. The two skeletons were wrapped in a passionate embrace, as if, even in death, their love held them together forever. It was a touching scene, but disturbing nonetheless—for Jorah knew the horrors of Dothraki invasions, and could only imagine what these two had felt in the moments before their lives ended tragically.

"Heartbreaking, isn't it?" Daenerys asked, breaking Jorah's line of thought. He nodded solemnly.

"Would you like me to have your Bloodriders discard the remains, so as not to scare your handmaidens further?" he asked after a moment. Dany shot him a horrified glance.

"Of course not, Ser Jorah. How would you like it if someone took your remains after you died and tossed them aside? We cannot be so disrespectful towards the dead." She stood. "We will build them a funeral pyre, so that they may finally journey to the nightlands with their people," she said.

Jorah nodded. This was so like his Khaleesi, he thought to himself with a hint of a smile. She was always going to such desperate lengths to treat others with respect and kindness. That was what he loved about her.

_Love._

Jorah swallowed, and looked to the ground. He had only realized his feelings for her recently, but they burned within him as though they'd been building for ages—which, he supposed, they had. He had watched her develop from a frightened little girl to a wise and just Queen, and the morning she had stepped out of Khal Drogo's funeral pyre with her newborn dragons, Jorah, too, felt as though he had been reborn—he was no longer a traitor and a spy, he was a knight. _Her _knight. And nothing would make him stray from her side ever again. And perhaps someday, he secretly thought to himself, he could be more than that to her. Maybe someday, he could—

"Jorah?" Dany asked, once more breaking his line of thought. "You have been silent. Does this sight make you uneasy?" She looked concerned for him. Jorah smiled. For a queen to be worried about her knight's fears… Daenerys Targaryn was certainly unlike any other person he had ever met.

"I'm fine, Khaleesi, but I thank you for asking. Shall we wait to build the pyre until tomorrow night? I fear if we do it tonight, Jhiqui may pass out," he said with a soft chuckle. Dany smiled.

"Of course, you are right. Until then, let us drape a lionskin over them, so others will know to be careful. Well then, my knight, I must get some rest. Goodnight, Ser Jorah," she said, planting a soft kiss on his cheek before departing.

She had taken to doing that lately, kissing Jorah on the cheek. Jorah wondered if she had read somewhere in a story that that's what queens do to their knights. Jorah laughed quietly to himself at the thought of Queen Cersei doing any such thing. No, Daenerys would make a far better queen than Cersei, he thought. Her gentle heart would become her greatest asset, and her people would love her. Jorah walked back to his tent, his cheek still warm where Dany kissed him.

* * *

A few hours later, Jorah awoke to the soft sound of crying. Yawning, he groggily got up and went to see where the noise was coming from. He didn't have to walk far—before he knew it, he was standing outside the Khaleesi's tent, clearly the source of the noise. He slowly and carefully entered the tent, not wanting to overstep his boundaries. When he saw her, his heart clenched. She was sitting at the end of her bed, head in her hands, crying softly into the night.

"Khaleesi?" he called quietly. She looked up, and Jorah saw her tear-stained face look away in shame. He wished she would open up to him more, to allow herself to cry in his presence. He wished he could comfort her in his arms, kissing away her pain and replacing it with a smile, and perhaps a soft moan. He tore himself away from his thoughts—this was not the time to be thinking so inappropriately about his queen. He dared to step a bit closer.

"What is wrong, Khaleesi? Why are you crying?"

Daenerys hesitated, and looked towards the ground, blushing. But after a while, she spoke.

"I suppose it was the bodies, Ser Jorah. The ones Jhiqui found earlier tonight. I know it is silly to cry over such things—as a queen, I know I will have to witness things much worse. It's just…" she stopped.

Jorah cautiously sat beside her, and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"It's just what, Khaleesi?"

Dany sighed. "I just miss Drogo so much, Jorah. I was so alone before I married him. Viserys was my only family, and you know how awful he could be…"

Jorah nodded. He knew well of Viserys cruelty, and could bearly stand being in his company for a few months, much less 13 years, as Dany had.

"Well," continued Daenerys, "When I married Drogo, I was very frightened of him, as you also know. But when it came time to… sanctify… our marriage," Dany blushed, and looked down. "…he was not forceful or cruel, as I had expected him to be. Rather, he was patient, and kind, and made our relations feel more like love than duty."

Jorah winced. He did not want to hear this; Daenerys talking about making love to another man. He said nothing, though, and she went on.

"And after a while, I _did_ come to love him, and he loved me. I had never felt so loved before, Jorah, not by anyone. Drogo wasn't just my husband; he was my life, my Sun-and-Stars. I loved him more than I thought it possible to love anyone. I truly miss him…"

Tears began to fall from her eyes, and Jorah's heart raced. Jealousy mixed with tenderness, desire mixed with longing, and it was all Jorah could do not to hold his Dragon Queen right then and there. Instead, he resisted the urge, smiled at her and lightly touched her hair.

"Drogo would be proud if he saw you today," Jorah said, "He loved your fiery personality and your strength, and would want to see you on the Iron Throne."

Jorah meant to stop there, but for some reason, he could not stop himself from continuing on.

"Drogo, he… he loved your kindness, your courage, your determination. He loved that you are as beautiful on the inside as you are on the outside, and how you never treat anyone with cruelty or disrespect. He loved that, even after being forced into such a strange world, you faced it with bravery and valor beyond that which he had ever seen."

Jorah could not stop. It was as though some long-held chain on his heart had finally been released, and his overflowing love and admiration for Daenerys was pouring out. He kept going, all-too-aware of the surprised look Dany was giving him.

"He loved the way you stay strong in front of your people, even when you want to cry."

"Jorah…"

"He loved the way your hair shone in the moonlight, as though it were glowing."

"Jorah…"  
"He loved the way your people mean everything to you, how you are willing to sacrifice everything for them when you do not have to."

"Jorah."

"He loved the way you made him feel just by being near him, and how—"

"Jorah!"

Jorah stopped abruptly, finally regaining his composure. He was panting—all that confessing without being able to make himself stop made him breathless. Mouth hanging open in embarrassment, he glanced at Dany, and then to the ground.

"Apologies, Khaleesi," he mumbled. "I only meant that… Drogo loved you, and he—"

Daenerys reached her hand to Jorah's cheek, causing him to stop mid-sentence.

She looked him directly in the eyes.

"Jorah," she whispered, "Are you really talking about Drogo?"

At this, Jorah's restraint broke. He urgently wrapped her in his arms and pressed his lips down on hers. He knew this was a horrible idea, that Daenerys would be furious, but he could no longer control his actions around her. However, much to his surprise (and utter joy), Daenerys did not push him away. Rather, she seemed to be kissing him back.

"Jorah," she moaned, and broke the kiss. Jorah's heart sank, until he realized that she had only broken the kiss so that she may remove her painted Dothraki horsehair vest, exposing her beautiful breasts to him before she began kissing him again. Jorah began to trail kisses down her neck and collarbone, while she rolled her head back and whimpered lustfully.

"He loved the way you kissed his cheek," Jorah panted between kisses. "He loved the way you said he was your strength. He—I—love the way you are my home. I love the way you never cease to amaze me. I love the way you gave me purpose. I love the way you are my everything." He moaned in response to Daenerys' rocking her hips against his. She quickly began unbuckling his breeches, and he wasted no time in assisting her.

"I love the way you keep me by your side. I love the way you've become my life. I love the way you are so perfect. I—_Gods_, Daenerys, I love you so, so much…"

He was already so hard it hurt, and she was so wet she was soaking the sheets. As she slid onto him slowly, he threw his head back with a low growl. She began moving her hips, and he had to bite his lip not to spill into her right then and there. She moaned in pleasure as he began caressing her breasts, while nipping at her collarbone.

"Daenerys," he breathed. "Beautiful, flawless Daenerys. This is everything I ever dreamed of and more."

"Jorah," whimpered Dany. "Oh, Jorah…"

Suddenly, she cried out. "Ser Jorah….!"

He felt his own release coming near, and his body went rigid as it approached.

"D...Daenerys! Oh, gods, Daenerys, my beautiful Queen…."

Their bodies shook together for several moments, then Dany rolled off and they lay next to each other. Their breathing remained ragged and quick for quite some time afterward. Finally, Daenerys sighed and looked over at Jorah.

"My, Ser Jorah," she said with a coy smile. "You certainly know how to comfort a crying woman."

Jorah smiled back at her tenderly. "I only live to please you, Daenerys."

She inclined her head towards his and gave him a gentle kiss.

"I would not worry about that, my Bear," she chuckled. She leaned forward, and Jorah thought she would kiss him again. But instead, she put her lips to his ear, and whispered ever so faintly, "I love you too, Jorah. I know that now" She pulled back, and looked into his widened eyes.

"I think perhaps _that_ was the real reason I was crying—I was confused of my feelings for you. I do miss Drogo, truly, and I felt that by falling in love with you, I was betraying Drogo's memory. But I think Drogo would want me to be happy. And I am happiest with you, my bear." She looked up at him. "Please, Jorah… never leave me."

Jorah, stunned and happy beyond words, drew Daenerys closer to him in a passionate embrace. He kissed the top of her head.

"I will never, ever leave you, my love," he whispered. "I love you far too much to do that, Daenerys Stormborn." She smiled, and settled her head on his chest, sighing contentedly.

_If I were to die tomorrow, _Jorah thought to himself, _I would die a happy man, knowing I have her love as she has mine. And I would not regret a thing. _

And suddenly, he understood how the sleeping lovers outside felt in the moments leading up to their death.


End file.
